Stern Reality
by Tara Liana Ni Conchuir
Summary: A songfic about what happens after Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary. Warren/OC, not Warrendra, you silly goose!


The song in this fic is a modified version of "Caledonia," which is on the album _A New Journey_, by Celtic Woman.

Disclaimer: This fic is set in the Fablehaven universe, which is not mine. However, some of the characters in this fic _are_ mine.

This is set after Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (which I bought and read yesterday, at long last! Yay!) but in an alternate storyline. The characters in this fic will be introduced by name in a fanfiction that will be released as soon as I can find someone to beta it for me. The poetry (lyrics?) is from the POV of the distraught woman, and the words in italics are from the POV of her friend, who, incidentally, narrates the aforementioned unreleased fanfic (which will be titled _Hidden in Plain Sight_). No, I'm not telling you who they are and what connection they have to Fablehaven. That will be revealed in _Hidden in Plain Sight_.

Songs listened to during the writing of the fic: Laschia Ch'io Pianga (Hayley Westenra and Máiréad Nesbitt), Shenandoah (Máiréad Nesbitt), and The Prayer (Chloë Agnew).

* * *

I don't know if you can see  
The changes that have come over me  
In these last few days I've been afraid  
That I might drift away  
I've been telling old stories, singing songs  
That make me think about where I've come from  
That's the reason why I seem  
So far away today

_She sank to the ground, sobbing. She couldn't, _wouldn't,_ accept it was true._

_But it was._

Let me tell you that I love you  
That I think about you all the time  
My dear, you're calling me, now I'm going home  
But if I should become a stranger  
Know that it would make me more than sad  
You are everything I've ever had

_Her long hair obscured her face, but I knew it would be tortured, despairing. _

_I went over to her and put my hand on her shoulder. She twisted around, looking me in the eyes. I reeled backwards with the force of her regard._

_"I should have stopped them. If I had told them, neither of them would be gone," she cried with self-loathing._

_"No! That would have killed them even quicker, and left no hope at all. It's better this way. You still might find Warren. There's still a chance!" I said despairingly._

_"You're right. I will find him, or die trying."  
_

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving  
Proved the points that I needed proving  
Lost the friends that I needed losing  
Found others on the way  
I been kissed and left crying  
Stolen dreams, yes, there's no denying  
I have traveled hard, sometimes with conscience flying  
Somewhere with the wind

_I watched her as she packed. I could have tried to dissuade her, but that would have been cruel. She needed the hope this would give her. She wouldn't be able to carry on living without it._

Now I'm sitting here before the fire  
The empty room, the forest choir  
The flames have cooled, don't get any higher  
They've withered, now they've gone  
But I'm steady thinking, my way is clear  
And I know what I will do tomorrow  
When hands have shaken, the kisses float  
Then I will disappear

_She and Dale trudged off into the forest outside of Fablehaven. He had a right to go with her- Warren was his brother. Ruth, Stan, Coulter, Trask, Tanu, Mara, and Vanessa stood at a respectful distance from us. Kendra and Seth stood next to me. Kendra raised her hand in a sad salute, then let it drop. Seth stood, immobile.  
_

You are everything I've ever had  
You are everything I've ever had  
You are everything I've ever had

_Warren was the only person she ever truly loved, other than us, her sisters. I cannot deny her this. _

_I know she will find Warren one way or another. She and Dale will find him and bring him back- or die trying. If she dies, at least she'll find him, Tamara, Neil, Rosa, Lena, Dougan, and Patton at the Forest's Heart. No one can truly be dead there. I'll see my sister again, and she will find her love. _

_We will all be together again._

_

* * *

_Author's note: Please review! This is the first Fablehaven fanfic I've ever completed.


End file.
